Iran to allow Russian jets in its airspace against terror in Syria

TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iranian security official said here Saturday that Russia could use Iran's airspace against terrorists in Syria provided that joint decisions are made to this end, official IRNA news agency reported.

Russia and Iran are "strategic" partners in fighting terrorism, and Russia's use of Iran's airspace "requires arrangements and joint decisions to support operations in the battle against terrorists," Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani was quoted as saying.

"Issuing permission (for the Russian fighter jets) is a complicated procedure which requires comprehensive and multi-dimensional expert studies, as well as detailed examination of the need (for the operation) and accurate scheduling," he added.

Iran and Russia have been regional allies to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government in its fight against militants over the past six years.

For the first time in August 2016, Russian bombers took off from the Hamadan base in western Iran for three consecutive days to strike terrorist targets in Syria.